Prime Minister visits Bromley by Bow Centre
9 February 2009
The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and Minister for the Cabinet Office, Liam Byrne, visited the Bromley by Bow Centre this morning. They were shown around the Healthy Living Centre, Social Enterprise Hub, and other projects to see how the Centre is working to support the local community during the current economic downturn.
Unemployment and low educational attainment are already large problems in Bromley by Bow. 16% of unemployed people have never worked and 35% are long term unemployed, while over 40% of people aged 16-74 have no qualifications. These issues can cause further problems such as increased mental ill health and households living in poverty.
Our integrated range of services, such as the Healthy Living Centre and our welfare and debt advice team, offer local people the support they need to get out of poverty and build a better future for themselves and their families. The Prime Minister spoke to patients in the health centre, met with young children in our nursery and heard stories from members of our community care project. He also heard about the importance of both training and volunteering which the Centre believes are vital to help people gain new skills and open the door to new opportunities.
Finally, he met with students on our BA in Social Enterprise programme as well as members of the 20 social enterprises that the Bromley by Bow Centre has set up across Tower Hamlets, helping to create local jobs and opportunities. Funded by the Working Neighbourhoods Fund, and supporters such as Bank of America, Barclays Capital, G4S, Investec and the Peter Stebbings Memorial Charity, the Centre sees social enterprise as a vital investment in the future prosperity of the community.
Rob Trimble, Chief Executive of the Bromley by Bow Centre, said: “Our community is already one of the poorest in Britain and we know that the recession is starting to hit hard. It is vitally important that people in Bromley by Bow get the support they need to help them in difficult times, so that they can look to the future with confidence."
"Despite the challenges there are opportunities coming to East London in the form of the Olympics and other developments and we want to do all that we can to help our community grasp them. With twenty five years experience we know that helping people to look after their health, learn new skills, take part in volunteering opportunities and set up in social enterprise will pay dividends in the long term for them and their children.”
Dr Sam Everington, GP at the Bromley by Bow Healthy Living Centre, said: “Health in Bromley by Bow is poor, but we know that ill health requires an integrated approach. For example, poor mental health is often exacerbated by worries over debt and paying the bills. The Centre offers an enterprising approach to tackling these problems, right at the heart of the community.
Helal Uddin, Director of Local Partnerships at the Bromley by Bow Centre, said: “In the current economic climate, we are expecting an increase in demand for our services, such as debt advice and employment support. We are well placed to respond to this increased demand, and help people to overcome poverty and ill health and get the advice, training and support that they need.”
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